BOOK REVIEWS

"Technological Challenges Posed by Sustainable Development: The Mineral Extraction Industries"Editors: Roberto C. Villas Boas and Lelio Fellows FihoReviewed by Evandro Mirra de Paula e Silva, President of the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development of BRAZIL - CNPq

This book on "Technological Challenges Posed by Sustainable Development: The Mineral Extraction Industries" reports the most recent information and the most widely discussed concepts about sustainable development in the mineral sector.

This is a question that has received, along the last decade; a growing interest not only from the environmental/ecological organizations, but also from the major entrepreneurs and policy-maker forums, the World Economic Davos Summit, recently held in Switzerland is a good example. On the occasion of this Summit, the Chief Officers of the biggest mining plants in operation worldwide, reinforcing the attention and concern given to the subject has focused the sustainability in the mining and metallurgical sectors.

The praiseworthy initiative from IMAAC and CYTED to promote, in collaboration, the Jornadas CYTED-XIII and the IMMAC Copper Forum, has given opportunity for international experts to meet, discuss and propose solutions to the challenges posed by such a relevant subject. The two events, held in Portugal and Spain, dealt with the sustainability in the mineral extraction industry, and emphasized the copper case, with the specific focus at copper-pyrite zones of the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula - the largest copper producing area in Europe.

The current book, timely edited by Villas Boas and Fellows Filho, is the result of the discussions and reflections held in the course of those events. It is undoubtedly a reference source for those who study and dedicate their professional lives to the important issues of sustainable development, in general, and of sustainability in the mineral extraction industry, in particular.

We hope that you will find useful and updated information on resource management (geological and mining, activities, materials processing and production), waste management, environmental policies and practices, strategic economical analyses and various economical aspects related to the international trade of primary products (agricultural, mineral and oil). Institutional information about CYTED, UNIDO and their R&D programs can also be found.